1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a feeding device for use in connection with a separating apparatus for processing flowable and non-flowable constituents mixed with each other and supplied thereto via a feeding area thereof, in particular with a separating apparatus working continuously and including a presser belt and a perforated drum, which feeding device is adapted to be arranged upstream of the separating apparatus in the feeding area thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such devices are known from the state of the art.
For example, JP Utility Model Publication 26-7881 discloses a device which, apart from aiming at creating a cramming or stuffing effect, also has the object of equalising and pre-crushing the material to be processed. This is performed by providing rotational bodies with entrainer arms projecting from their circumferential surfaces and being sickle-shaped, the arrangement of the rollers forming the rotational bodies being such that the circles of rotation of the entrainer arms overlap each other.
There are essential disadvantages in this device. For example, it cannot be avoided that the material to be processed forms laps on the rotational bodies, which lap formation depends on the type and shape of the material to be processed. On the other hand, a cramming effect is created which depends on the type of the material to be processed and cannot be controlled, which may lead to an overloading of the subsequent processing machine.
Furthermore, there is disclosed a method in DE-OS 20 32 774, the aim of which is to form material to be processed having the shape of large pieces into a "mat" which is then to be supplied to a presser belt separating apparatus. To this end, a pair of rollers driven to revolve in opposite directions is used, which rollers are intended to mill or roll the material to be processed into a mat of equal thickness depending on the distance set between the rollers. This device is primarily intended for processing material containing bones.
This concept has not proved successful, because the entraining ability of the rollers is strongly varying depending on the type of the material supplied, i.e. a dosing of the amount to be supplied is impossible.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,768, discloses a two-step crushing device for equalising the size of the pieces of the material to be processed.